The Third Reich Bravery and Merit Decoration for Eastern Peoples

Take a rare look at a little known Third Reich badge awarded to volunteers from the occupied eastern territories who served in various German formations. As the German military situation worsened in 1942, Hitler authorized formation of so—called eastern units made up of Slavic volunteers. With the number of eastern volunteers rising rapidly and many of them already having distinguished themselves in action, the question of how to honor their service arose. In July 1942, Hitler ordered the a...